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Ford Galaxie Starliner
Most people don’t consider the Ford Thunderbird to be a proper muscle car since it was a luxurious two-seater with low production numbers and a high price tag. However, with its style and great performance, it helped raise the collective consciousness about the importance of performance. And that is what sparked the creation of the muscle car segment in the following years. However, when Ford presented the Thunderbird in 1955, it outsold the Corvette immediately.
But in 1957, Ford introduced two engine options that set the standards in terms of high performance. In fact, they have a special place in the history of Ford performance. They mounted a Paxton or McCullough supercharger on top of a 312 V8 engine, which was optional. And that gave the Thunderbird a 300 HP rating. And, if that wasn’t enough, Ford offered the even hotter 340 HP version of the same supercharged engine, which they originally intended for racers.